Curved roof support structure

ABSTRACT

A ROOF SUPPORT STRUCTURE IS FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS IN TWO GROUPS OF PARALLEL MEMBERS. MEMBERS IN THE FIRST GROUP ARE GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR WITH MEMBERS IN THE SECOND GROUP AND THE TWO GROUPS ARE NOTCHED TO PROVIDE INTERFITTED INTERSECTIONS IN A UNITARY   ASSEMBLY. ANCHORS HOLD OPPOSITE PORTIONS DOWNWARD AND INWARD TO FORM A CURVED ROOF SUPPORT STRUCTURE.

* D66. 14, 1971 H. L. GUZELIMIAN 3,626,647

CURVED ROOF SUPPORT STRUCTURE Filed July 20, 1970 HARRY L. GUZELIMIAN av fl C (4)10 ATTOR N HY United States Patent 3,626,647 CURVED ROOF SUPPORT STRUCTURE Harry L. Guzelimian, 154 Nardo Ave., Solana Beach, Calif. 92075 Filed July 20, 1970, Ser. No. 56,441 Int. Cl. E04b 1/32 US. Cl. 5280 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A roof support structure is formed with a plurality of individual members in two groups of parallel members. Members in the first group are generally perpendicular with members in the second group and the two groups are notched to provide interfitted intersections in a unitary assembly. Anchors hold opposite portions downward and inward to form a curved roof support structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Curved roofs and especially roofs forming hyperbolic parabolcid curves of the type described in, for example, U. S. Pat. 3,280,518, 3,206,895, 3,186,128, and 2,891,491 are well known.

In known systems, the structural units are formed of sheet material which may be corrugated in a form shown in Pat. 3,280,518. The sheet materials even when corrugated have had certain drawbacks which have been heretofore unresolved. The tensioning of the roof structure in place causes shear forces to be produced on fasteners or wells which interlock the sheet materials. Tightening the anchors or increasing the curvature of the structure causes further undesirable stress on the fasteners or the materials. Known devices which use crossed elements must provide special edge structures to premit freedom of movement of those elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention uses a plurality of similar parallel and spaced members which are perpendicularly crossed in first and second groups. In a preferred form of the embodiment, the members are oppositely grooved so that the bending of the roof structure causes the members to more firmly grip each other and promotes the interconnection strength rather than stressing and weakening interconnections. The crossed parallel members of the present invention permit flexibility in the design and installation of the roof structure. The structure may be shipped in individual elements which may be joined at the site by semiskilled laborers.

In one form of construction, the roof support structure is assembled in a flat condition and the center is slightly lifted while diagonally opposite corners are connected to each other. The opposite corners are drawn together until the desired shape is reached, at which time the opposite corners are connected to preset ground supported anchors. The interconnection between diagonally opposite corners may be maintained in its tensioned condition, or the tension may be relieved and outward forces of the diagonal corners may be borne by the anchors.

The roof structure is rigid because a slotted member tightly grips another member at each intersection. Consequently, no welding or bonding is required. When welding or bonding is desired, it may be accomplished after the roof has been tensioned and curved. The open spaces of the support structure facilitate the accessibility of surface areas for welding or bonding. Unlike other devices which have no open accessibility, the welds are unstressed since they are accomplished after the curve is formed. In that condition, the curved roof is self-supportice ing with the welded intersections providing the forces which are necessary to maintain the curvature.

In another embodiment of the invention, the elements may be preformed with curved and stressed relieved condition with the roof structures curvature being formed as the elements are assembled. Alternatively, smaller roofs may be preassembled and subjected to a stress relieving such as by heat treating after the curvature is formed.

In a preferred embodiment of the roof support structure, all individual members are of equal length and the flattened unstressed roof is square. Two diagonally opposite corners are drawn together, generally forming a hyperbolic paraboidal shape. By drawing other corners together or by constructing members in one group longer than members in another group, or by constructing the structure with several groups of crossed members, different final curves are achieved.

In one example of a roof support structure, twentytwo flat slats have dimensions of 12 feet by 6 inches by one-half inch. When the roof is curved, the anchors are 12 feet apart. The top of the dome between the anchors is approximately 4 feet above the anchors and the opposite longitudinal extremeities of the roof between the anchors are approximately 8 feet above the anchors. The anchors may be 6 foot posts providing a central clearance of 10 feet. Such a structure is particularly useful for the roof support of a carport or an outdoor porch area.

In another example of a roof support structure, slats may be 36 feet long with a thickness of one inch and a width of one foot. With anchors at ground level, a 36 foot span results with a central overhead clearance of 12 feet. When the roof support structure is installed substantially 5 symmetrically, free corners of the roof will be approxi 40 useful for houses, commercial building, churches and the like'.

Within the limits of the materials used, their spacing, thickness, flexibility, and strength, roof support structures of any desirable size and shape, with clear spans, may be constructed.

Individual members may be flat elongated rectangular elements which are freely bendable laterally, and which are relatively rigid in resisting bending along an edgewise direction. Alternatively, the members may be any elongated member with any polygonal or arcuate cross section. While not delimiting, solid members have widths greater than thicknesses; though, both solid or hollow (tubular) members of any shape, such as circular, elliptical, square, rectangular, triangular, or polygonal, may have little variance in transverse dimensions. Members running in one direction are preferably, although not necessarily, identical to members running in another direction. In the same manner, parallel members are preferably, but not necessarily, similar. In making the curves or recesses in the member, consideration is given to the thickness and shape of the intersecting members.

Members may be constructed of coated steel, aluminum, plastic, wood, plain or laminated, or any other suitable, commercially available material or structural member.

One objective of the present invention is the provision of a roof support structure comprised of crossed and interleaved members in first and second groups of parallel members for forming in an arcuate shape.

Another object of the invention is the provision of parallel spaced members in first and second substantially perpendicular groups, at least half of which members are recessed for receiving portions of intersecting members of 3 another group, and all of which members are curved to provide a curvilinear roof support structure.

A further object of this invention is a provision of a hyperbolic paraboloidal Hyperboloid roof support structure made up of parallel members in two generally perpendicular groups, each of which members is slotted at intersections for receiving the members of the other group.

These and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing and continuing specification and claims and from the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a roof support structure constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detail of the curvilinear roof supporting structure.

FIG. 3 is a detail of members in opposed groups of the roof structure.

FIG. 4 is a detail of circular cross section hollow members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, a roof support structure is generally indicated by the numeral .10. Before the structure is placed in position, the structure is generally square. Roof support structure is bent by drawing opposite diagonal corners 12 and 14 downward and inward and fastening the corners to anchors 16 and 18. In the finished roof, the center 20 is displaced upward from an axis connecting corners 12 and 14 by approximately one-third of a length of a side 22. Unsupported, or free, corners 24 and 26 are elevated from the axis interconnecting corners 12 and 14 by approximately two-thirds of the length of a side 22. Depending on the materials used as memb rs in the roof construction and their length, thickness, width and flexibility, and depending on inward forces provided by anchors 16 and 18, by ties extending across either or both sets of diagonal corners, or upon welds or bonds made after the roof has been deformed, the heights of various portions of the structure may be varied.

Anchors 16 and 18 may be replaced or augmented by one or more elongated anchors at corners 24 and/or 26. In that form, curvature of the roof structure may be provided by inward forces of the posts or by sag produced by the weight of the roof support and covering structure.

A roof constructed according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in this preliminary shape in FIG. 2. The roof structure generally indicated by the numeral 30 is made up of a first group 32 of parallel members 34 and a second group 36 of similar parallel members 38. The members of one group intersect members of another group substantially perpendicularly. In this case, the members are solid and rectangular in cross section and each member has a thickness which is less than 10% of its width. The members are spaced apart at convenient distances according to the parameters of the members and the desired curvature and forces in the finished roof. In the present case, the members are spaced apart approximately one and a half to two times their width.

The members of at least one group are slotted to receive members of the other group at intersections. In one form of the invention the intersections may be welded or bonded while the structure is in its fiat form before the curving of the structure into a roof support. In another form of the invention, the welding or bonding is accomplished only after the structure has been curved, such as in FIG. 1.

Before erection of the roof support, a first end 40 of a first member 24 in group 32 is connected to a first end 44 of a first member 46 in second group 36. Thereby, corner 48 is formed. Remote ends of the other outer members 52 in group 32 and 54 in group 36 are joined to form a corner 56 opposite corner 48.

Corners 48 and 56 are elevated or depressed from the plane of structure 30, and each of the members is slightly torsionally bent. Corners 48 and 56 may be joined by a tie which may be adjustable to form the desired curve in the roof. The tie may remain in the roof structure, anchors may accept outward forces of corners 48 and 56, the members may be welded at intersections after the curvature is formed to maintain the roof curve with no outward forces at corners 48 and 56, or the entire structure may be stress relieved after curvature. Any two or three corners of the roof may be connected to a support, or to each other.

The roof may be supported in alternate embodiments by supports at one or more corners or by one or more supports connected to any position of the roof. Depending on the supports, or on ties or on preformed shapes, or upon welds or bonds, designs aspects of the roof may be altered.

A small detail of the interfitting of flat solid slat-like elements is shown in FIG. 3. Elements 62 has downward extending grooves 64 which receive portions of parallel elements 66 and 68 in a second group of members. The latter elements have upward extending grooves 70 and 72 to receive member 62. The assembled members are represented by the interrelationship of members 66 and 68 and member 74, which is parallel to and in the same group as member 62.

FIG. 4 shows a roof construction detail with circular hollow members. Parallel members 82 and 84 have rectangular recesses 86 in upper surfaces thereof to receive parallel members 92 and 94, which have downward opening rectangular recesses. Preferably, the recesses are slightly more deep than the radius of the pipe to promote a gripping action between the interrelated tubular members. The members are fitted together at the recesses so that they substantially interleave in a manner shown in FIG. 3. After the members are assembled, they may be bonded or welded at the intersections according to the process which is proper for the materials of which the members are constructed.

The support structure may be used where a curved surface is desired. The support is particularly useful for large and small roofs in permanent installations, and it is useful for light weight temporary shelters, such as for sleeping or eating or storm shelters.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A support grid comprising a first group of generally parallel members and a second group of generally parallel members oriented generally perpendicular to the first group and forming with the first group a plurality of intersections, notches in members at intersections for receiving members of another group and for connecting the members at the intersections, thereby forming an integral unit, and means connected to extremities of the unit for bending the unit and drawing the extremities inward whereby a curved structure is formed.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein members of one group are downwardly notched and members of the other group are upwardly notched at intersections.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the members are generally rectangular in cross section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the members are generally circular in cross section.

5. Roof support apparatus comprising a first group of elongated generally parallel members of substantially equal length having lower longitudinal surface and upper longitudinal surfaces, and a second group of elongated generally parallel members of substantially equal length oriented perpendicular to members of the first group, each of the members having lower longitudinal edges and upper longitudinal edges, and grooves extending from edges toward centers of members in at least one group and members of one group being interfitted in members of the other group whereby members of the first group and of the second group form a unitary structure, and means holding spaced opposite portions of the strips downward and together, whereby a curved roof support structure is formed.

6. The roof support apparatus of claim 5 wherein the holding means comprises first anchor means connected to a first member in the first group and to a first member in the second group, and second anchor means connected to a second member in the first group and to a second member in the second group for supporting the ends and for pulling the ends downward and inward with respect to the remaining portions of the members.

7. The roof support structure of claim 5 wherein the members comprise flat generally rectangular strips.

8. The roof support structure of claim 5 wherein all members are substantially equal in length.

9. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the members of one group have grooves uniformly extending downward from upper portions and wherein members of the other group have grooves extending upward from lower portions thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,388,711 6/1968 Huddle 5280 3,232,806 2/1966 Widmer 52-80 X 3,462,893 8/1969 Kaiser 52-80 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner 

